Need a firm system

Votes are counted during a GOP Caucus meeting at Lone Peak High School in Highland. Thousands turn out at their neighborhood caucus meeting around Utah Thursday, March 15, 2012.

Many recent letters about the Utah caucuses are thoughtful. We and other friends also left the caucuses dissatisfied with the process, no fault of the good people running them. The system has problems. Every chain is as strong as its weakest link.

To have little or no explanation of how or why a delegate would vote, have no debate and then expect attendees to intelligently select who will represent them is a weak link indeed. Granted, many have made up their minds in advance. But making up minds before candidates' debate seems backwards.

That increased attendance at caucuses is desired does not seem to be in dispute. There is therefore irony in the possibility that, should caucus attendance continue to increase, we could reach primary election numbers but with the "election" held on a flimsy basis.